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Messing with Ferrell's head

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The star of Columbia's upcoming "Step Brothers" is attached to "2-Face," a comedy from "Hancock" writer Vince Gilligan. The project is set up at Sony.

Gilligan's script, which has had a long gestation period at the studio but had not been reported, is a concept comedy involving a character with a split personality: One part of him is a racist, and the other is a bleeding-heart liberal.

Mosaic Media and "Chronicles of Narnia" producer Mark Johnson are on board to produce. The search for a director is under way.

While "2-Face" is described as a comedy with mainstream appeal — familiar terrain for Ferrell — Gilligan's credits and the story's socially relevant hook might give the role added heft. Ferrell has tried his hand at more serious roles, most notably in Marc Forster's 2006 drama "Stranger Than Fiction."

Gilligan has a diverse pedigree in Hollywood. In addition to "Hancock," he helped create and wrote for the "X-Files" TV series and is the exec producer on AMC's dark drama "Breaking Bad."

But he also has penned lighter fare, writing the screenplay for the Drew Barrymore screwball comedy "Home Fries," an absurdist look at murder, family and the military set in a fast-food restaurant. (Steven Zeitchik)